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Friday, March 25, 2011

St Saviour's for sale

Last autumn I visited St Saviour's, the derelict George Gilbert Scott church in Leicester.

St Saviours, which could seat a congregation of 1,000 people, is being sold as part of a package with a former neighbourhood centre next door, which used to be a church school.

Rupert Harrison, managing partner at Andrew Granger and Co. said: "This is a really special property the like of which is rarely seen on the market.

"It is important to secure a sustainable new use for such a beautiful and historic building and so we have spent some considerable time working with Leicester City Council and English Heritage to bring the property to market.

"We feel that it represents a great opportunity for a developer or individual with real vision."

Instinctively I am with Emmanuel Maphosa, 48, who is quoted by the Mercury as saying: "Whatever it becomes, it is important to remember it was once a place of worship." But then I have always been a very High Church atheist.

Should you experience an overpowering urge to see St Saviour's yourself, you could combine that pleasure with a spot of canvassing for Zuffar Haq. The church stands in the Leicester South constituency where there will soon be a by-election.